Objective for this Page: To summarize episode 2 and to
provide commentary on the character’s actions.

Summary

This scene begins with the sentry returning to Creon's palace to deliver the
news that he has caught the culprit of the burial. With this character,
Sophocles has included a sort of comic relief to lighten the mood of his ominous
theme. The sentry is happy to report that he and the other guards saw
Antigone cover the dead body of her brother with dust and afford him the proper
ceremony she feels he deserves. They surrounded her on the spot and questioned
her about her actions. She denies nothing and offers no plea or reason for
her insolence toward Creon's decree, standing behind her actions with full force
and stubborn rebellion.

When interrogated in a similar manner by Creon himself, Antigone replies with
the same open defiance. She is neither apologetic nor frightened for her
known fate. Creon also accuses Ismene of having an equal part in their
brother's burial and brings her in for questioning. When she arrives, she
takes the blame upon herself with Antigone so as to share in her sister's sorrow
and pain. However, Antigone's pride will not allow her to divide the
divine glory of upholding the laws of the gods with her sister. Thus,
Antigone denies that Ismene had any part in the burial and refuses to allow her
to die alongside herself.

Ismene tries to share the blame with her sister, even though she had refused
to share in the action of providing burial rites for her dead brother.
Antigone refuses her share in martyrdom, preferring to stand alone. The two sisters reconcile as Antigone says, "Save yourself; I don't grudge
you your survival." Ismene is shocked that Creon would kills his
son's betrothed, but Creon suggests that finding another woman won't be
difficult. Creon
and the chorus Leader call Antigone "wild"; Creon (speaking in terms
that actually foreshadow his own downfall) notes that the "stiffest
stubborn wills fall the hardest." He calls Polynices and Antigone
traitors; as he orders the guards to haul Antigone and Ismene off, he taunts
them, claiming "now they'll act like women."

Commentary

This scene summarizes the moral arguments at the basis of this play--the
conflicts of opposing needs and obligations--the individual against the state
and divine law opposed to a human law. If, however, Creon did aim this law
directly at Antigone, then it is a misguided decree, set up for personal
ambition. But this notion is not examined in the play.

Many of Antigone's comments during this scene allude to her love for the dead
(or lack of love for the living), which will be her fatal flaw in the end.
She responds to her sister's pleading with, "You chose to live, I chose to
die." Later, she also says, "Live your life. I gave myself
to death, long ago, so I might serve the dead." She is more concerned
with serving the dead than fulfilling her own living sister's needs.

In addition, this scene foreshadows Creon's own downfall at the end of the
play. He alludes to it himself when he says of Antigone, "Believe me,
the stiffest stubborn wills fall the hardest; the toughest iron, tempered strong
in the hot-white fire, you'll see it crack and shatter first of all."
By the end, Creon changes his stubborn philosophy on Antigone's defiance, but it
is too late, and he ends up losing the most out of all of the characters
including his son and his wife.

Both Antigone and Creon seem
stubborn in this scene; whereas the king and the chorus see Antigone as
headstrong, modern readers are likely to find her an admirable character, since
she is right about the necessity of caring for the dead. The Greeks
observed burial rights scrupulously, even for their enemy dead.

Finally, in a minor sort of way, this scene of the play enforces the divide
between the value of men and the value of women. When Creon orders the
girls to be locked up, he spouts, "Stop wasting time. Take them in.
From now on they'll act like women. Tie them up, no more running
loose." This more than hints at the place women held in Greek society
of underlings and servants to their male counterpart's wills.

Study Questions

Explain why the sudden and powerful dust-storm witnessed by the guards
enforcing Creon's decree about Polynices' corpse might not have been just a
coincidence.

How is Ismene portrayed in this scene and the prologue? Does your attitude
about her change in this scene?

Compare the characters of Antigone and Ismene. Who is the stronger
woman? Why?

Why is important for Antigone to confess her action to Creon?

Is Antigone's adherence to the moral law in the face of Creon's decree a
rational or an impulsive act?

Who do you believe is the hero in this scene, Creon or Antigone? Who
is right in their judgments and actions? Why?

Assessment: Choose a study question and respond
in a paragraph, citing evidence from episode 2 to support your point(s).

Thanks to Steve Bourgoin, Marian Naqvi, and Mandi Sligh for the content of this page.

This instructional web was made in July, 2002, by Prof. Eric
Hibbison, who is solely responsible for its content.